The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Many firearm owners routinely modify their weapons to suit a particular interest or a desired look. With particular regard to rifles, it can be desirable to change the barrel configuration depending on the conditions under which the firearm is to be used. For example, short, lightweight barrels are desirable for use with automatic or semi-automatic rifles in close quarters combat situations, whereas longer, heavier barrels are desirable for use with bolt action rifles shooting long range targets.
For this reason, there is no shortage of available aftermarket rifle barrels which can be mated to existing firearms so as to adapt the weapon for use as described above. With particular regard to bolt action rifles, one of the most common types of rifle barrels is a heavy contour barrel, often weighing over five pounds. Such barrels are preferred owing to their rigid construction which reduces vibration/harmonics when the weapon is fired. Unfortunately, the high weight of these barrels makes this option less attractive for the elderly or those with physical limitations.
Additionally, as traditional rifle barrels are repeatedly connected and disconnected from a receiver, the neck of the barrel becomes worn thus reducing the head spacing of the barrel over time and reducing the ability of the rifle to fire. Moreover, the process of removing and installing a barrel from/to the receiver is difficult and time consuming.
Finally, each of these barrels are specifically designed to be used with the same caliber cartridge as the barrel it is replacing. As such, there does not currently exist a fast, easy way to change the rifle barrel caliber without significant modifications to the weapon, and.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide a concentric rifle barrel assembly that offers the same benefits of a heavy-contour barrel with a greatly reduced weight. It would also be beneficial to provide a barrel assembly having a rifle barrel that can be replaced so as to allow the weapon to fire cartridges of varying calibers and that connects in a manner that does not reduce headspace over time, so as to alleviate the drawbacks described above.